Who Am I?
by LuvStruckWriter
Summary: Artemis has been missing for 6 months and everything has changed. Now she must cope with her new life and family as she recovers. See the turns her life makes through her trials.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: We are co-authors who use the same account. Abigail Isabella and Alya Rose are our names and we will both answer any questions you have.**

**Disclaimer: We do not own any part of Young Justice or the back story to our story. The back story was written by Fae Faythe and named "Who Is She?" We thank her for allowing us to use her story as a background.**

* * *

The team sat in the living room of the cave running through previous missions and strategies. Roy walked passed them, "See you around."

Wally spoke up, not bothering to look over his shoulder at him, "Give it a rest, Roy… She's gone."

Roy stopped and turned to face them, "I'm not giving up! I won't lose hope."

Conner turned his head to face Roy, "What hope? She's been gone for six months."

Roy tried to hide his pain behind his anger by closing his eyes tightly as he spoke, "…Don't tell me to stop hoping because-"

Kaldur stood up and put his hand on Roy's shoulder, "We are not asking you to stop hoping. We only ask that you quit searching. There is no use in searching for someone who-"

Roy shoved his arm away not caring to hide his pain anymore, "I don't care if you don't think she's alive! I know she is and I! WILL! FIND! HER!..." Roy angrily walked to the door, "and if you won't help…it's up to me." He turned away and left without another word. The team exchanged sad looks.

M'gann stared at the floor. When Conner's and Robin's hands touched her shoulders she stood up, rejecting their touch, and silently walked down the hall to her room.

Wally watched her until she was out of sight. "Poor M'gann. She's been taking this really hard."

Kaldur looked at him, "All of us have been affected by the situation. M'gann and…" he turned his attention to Conner and Robin, "Wally worst of us all."

Wally looked at him, "What are you talking about?" his emerald eyes trying to hide the flashes of pain behind them.

Robin sat on the arm of the chair, "We saw you in her room today." Wally stared at the floor not wanting to admit anything. Robin put a hand on his shoulder. "We understand that-"

Wally jumped up and turned on them. "Artemis is gone! There is nothing more to say!" Wally looked the other three in the eye furiously and zipped off to his trophy room.

All was silent for a few moments before Conner stood up and walked down the hall to M'gann's room. Kaldur turned to Robin, "Now will you tell me what is bothering you my friend?"

Robin looked at his friend and gave him a half-hearted smile. He gathered his thoughts before speaking, "Artemis was still on radar until a month and a half ago. She is strong and stubborn. She doesn't let anyone tell her anything and will only show pain if it's killing her. If for some reason she hadn't wanted us to find her…wouldn't she have destroyed everything she was wearing immediately? And if she was dead, wouldn't whoever did it rub it in our faces? I truly have hope that she's still alive but I don't believe she's ever going to come back." Robin put his face in his hands. "I don't know what to think anymore."

Kaldur leaned closer slightly, "That is one thing I admire about you. You can stay rational but still hope with such small probability. I personally have no hope in her coming back."

Robin looked up at him. "Artemis was-is my best friend so I hope she is still alive but I don't believe she is." He hung his head, "I just wish we knew where she was."

* * *

Paula took the last shirt from the dresser and placed it in the box on the floor. She looked around the room. It had been painted green only ten months before. There were Star City newspaper clippings, fan letters, and photos of Artemis and her mentor Green Arrow or his civilian form of Oliver Queen hanging on the walls. All of the shelves and the desk were boxed up and the closet and dresser had been cleaned out. Artemis's bed was gone and all that remained of her personal possessions were the wall hangings and her collection of used arrow heads. Paula watched as Oliver carefully removed the items from the wall. He turned to the arrow heads. He picked one up and turned it over in his hands looking at the attached tag. He smiled and chuckled lightly. Paula asked, "What's so funny?"

Oliver looked at her and brought the arrow head to her. "Artemis labels them with a date and what she used them for. This is the third one…"

Paula took the arrow head and read it aloud, "August 3rd, saved Wally's butt from Amazo robot." Paula smiled. She remembered Artemis telling her about how Wally reacted when Robin told him that it was her arrow. She looked at the second tag, "September 22nd, saved cave from Reds with EMP shock-wave." She remembered again how Artemis had come home scared but confident about seeing her friends that had powers, and were more experienced, taken down but being able to defeat the Reds. Paula smiled again at the memory of her daughter but it quickly faded. She stared at the arrow head playing with it in her hands, "It's so hard to believe that they called off the search. I understand that she's gone and it hurts to say but I believe it, but I still have that hope in my heart that she's out there. I just want my daughter back."

Oliver knelt beside her, "I know that it hurts and I believe it too but I still hope she's alive somewhere, and if she is we both know that she will come back. She cares too much even if she doesn't want to admit it." He gave her a hug, holding her, comforting her, in hopes that she would be alright.

* * *

Her heart pounded. She didn't know where she was going. She just ran. She had a sense that she could find a safe haven somewhere but didn't know where. She cut corners and quickly lost her pursuers not knowing how she had done it. She ran into a cramped little space. "Gotham" she said clearly.

A short two seconds later, "Access denied" rang out a robotic voice. She began getting frustrated and immediately pulled out wires and cords and started cutting and binding. She typed in a few long codes she had no idea how she knew and suddenly a bright light blinded her.

She raced down the road several blocks to a small apartment building. She ran through the building searching for someone but found no one. She ran back out and down the road several blocks again. She returned to the cramped little phone booth and in an unknown language called out, "Mount Justice" not knowing where she was going but finding it calmed her by saying the name. Yet again she was blinded.

* * *

The team was hanging around the cave with no missions for a while on Batman's orders. They were watching reruns or sleeping with little else to do. Batman called the team to the main room. They all sluggishly complied. Batman appeared on the screen waited impatiently until they were all there to proceed. "I am ordering radio silence until further notice. No telepathic communications either. There has been a breach in the systems and until it is under control there will be no open frequencies. Have I made myself clear?"

There were a few mumbled agreements and some nodded heads and Batman took that as an understanding and disconnected. Robin looked at the team. None of them looked at all enthusiastic, especially not M'gann or Wally. "This is the closest we've had to a mission in a month and a half. Is anyone going to perk up even in the slightest?" They all stared at him.

A bright flash came from behind them and they turned to see who had entered without the computer's introduction. A Vietnamese girl with black hair stood in front of them. She seemed exhausted but keeping herself standing…barely. M'gann used a mental attack and the girl cringed in severe pain, held slightly above the ground by the mental ability. Realization struck as Robin recognized her, "M'gann stop!" He tackled M'gann. "She isn't a threat!"

M'gann's hold broke and the girl dropped to her knees and passed out on the floor for lack of energy. Robin stared at her. He was a mindless zombie. "Conner, take her to the medical wing. M'gann call J'onn. We will need assistance," Kaldur said taking complete control of the situation.

They took the intruder to the medical wing while M'gann tried to get a message to her uncle. Uncle, we have the intruder. She needs medical help. Please hurry.

* * *

Before long Batman, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and several other League members had arrived in a panic worrying about their charges. "What has happened M'gann? You were slightly out of your range and the message was unclear. Who needs medical assistance?"

M'gann smiled, proud of herself for conveying a message at such a distance, "the intruder is the one that needs medical attention. She was really weak when she arrived but was weakened to the point of passing out when I attacked."

Batman walked into the cave and saw Robin sitting on the floor curled up in a ball. He rushed to him. Robin didn't notice. He continued mumbling, "It cant be. She's dead. There is no way. But she's here. But she's dead." He didn't take any notice to Batman trying to snap him from his trance. Batman decided it was best to give him time and turned to Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow who were motioning for him to join them.

The three heroes walked down a hall to the infirmary. The girl lay unbound on the bed facing the opposite wall. She was still unconscious. Martian Manhunter turned to his companions, "I will see if I can reach her through her own mind. I may be able to understand her motives if I can access her thoughts." They nodded and proceeded.

The girl felt the intrusion in her mind. She was in no pain from it but blocked the martian out of her mind. "Psimon!" She yelled in an extremely thick accent. She screamed at the top of her lungs. She yelled a few words in an unfamiliar language and continued screaming.

Batman took a good look at the girl's face when Martian Manhunter released his grip on her mind. Batman's eyes grew wide. "She looks like Athena!" The girl sat perfectly silent and still, staring at him. She attacked with the little strength she had regained.

Batman easily overcame her. "Who is Athena?" Green Arrow asked as Batman handcuffed the girl.

Batman looks at him, "Athena was Artemis's twin sister."

Green Arrow's thoughts started spinning. "Come with me. Bring her," he said as he walked out of the infirmary. Everyone was in the main room of the cave. Green Arrow pulled up a photo editing program and a photo of Artemis. He clicked a few buttons and changed the hair in the photo to black. Everyone became silent. They looked between the picture and the girl.

Robin looked up at the photo on the screen. It looked just like the girl. It looked like Athena. Green Arrow changed it back and forth between black and blonde. Robin remembered being the one to take the photo. It was Artemis! She was back!

* * *

**AN: Let us know if you want more. We may post another chapter in 2 weeks or sooner based on demand. Questions can be directed specifically or to both of us. If you want answers from both of us then specify and we will each answer individually. Thanks again to Fae Faythe for allowing us to use her story as our background. Please read her story to understand parts of ours. Also read her stories Book 1: Who is she? Book 2: Return and Book 3: Goddess**


	2. Chapter 2

Artemis looked up at the screen to see the photo remain on black hair. It was a picture of her twin sister. She could see her sister sitting there on the roof of their apartment with a book in her hand escaping reality in the Kissed by an Angel trilogy which was always their favorite series. She glared at the men and women around her. Why did they have a picture of her sister? Her sister died over year ago. Most of the world had gotten over it and left her spirit to find its way to its final resting place. Were these people in collusion with her father, the man who had killed her best friend and twin sister? She wasn't going to take the chance of being attacked first. They seemed to be assessing her strength and sizing her up with their abilities. She decided to do the unexpected. Just as she was about to attack she changed her plan as a boy, possibly in his early teens, walked up to her. She did not recognize him at first but he had to be in with the rest of the group by how they just let him pass.

Robin walked up to Artemis. He stood directly in front of her. He grinned at her and nodded his head. She seemed to not recognize him. She made a quarter turn putting him on her left and facing the other people. She didn't trust any of them but felt in some weird way that she could trust him. She didn't want to though. She kept watching him out of the corner of her eye. He reached up and touched her shoulder. She grabbed his wrist and threw the small boy's frame over her and onto the floor on the other side of her.

Everyone turned when they heard him hit the ground. Before they knew it she was sitting on his abdomen with fire in her eyes, a knife at his chest, and one in her hand to defend herself if need be. She stared him in the eye, "Bạn là ai và làmnhững gì bạn biết về em gái của tôi?" Robin stared at her. He was dumbfounded. What was she saying? Everyone stared at them in fear. Batman inched closer. Her eyes stayed fixed on Robin but the second knife flew up, pointing at Batman, as she watched him with her peripheral vision, "Hãy đếnbất kỳ gần gũi hơn và gia cầm được nó."

Green Arrow recognized a couple of the words. "She's speaking Vietnamese!"

Batman kept his eyes fixed on Artemis and Robin as he spoke, "How do you know?"

"I've heard Paula say them before. I could only pick up a few though. The words come and bird but aside from those I can't understand anything...Hold on!" Green Arrow typed a few codes into the computer and a translator popped up. "Did anyone possibly get a recording of what she said?"

Robin, keeping his eyes on Artemis, said, "You thing I didn't? I can't play it back unless she lets me move though."

Batman and Green Arrow made eye contact and nodded. Green Arrow shot a blunt arrow at Artemis hitting her square in the jaw, shocking her into silence and causing her to remaining motionless as she lay on the floor next to Robin. He jumped up and ran to where everyone else was turning his back to her. He played back the recordings into the microphone, "Bạn là ai và làm những gì bạn biết về emgái của tôi?" played from the computer on his wrist.

The computer took a short moment and then said, in Artemis's voice, "Who are you and what do you know about my sister?"

They all looked at the girl that lay still on the floor staring at them. Robin turned back to the computer and played the second recording, "Hãy đến bấtkỳ gần gũi hơn và gia cầm được nó."

The computer repeated again, in English and Artemis's voice, "Come any closer and the bird gets it."

"That must mean she recognizes me. First she asked who I was and then referred to me as 'the bird' so she must be starting to recognize me at least." He turned just in time to see her climb slowly to her feet. She looked at him in a way that looked almost apologetic and took off down a hall. As weak as she was she ran fast but not fast enough to outrun both Batman and Green Arrow. Robin stood back as they dragged her to the ground and held her hands behind her back.

Robin crouched in front of her. She glared at him and nearly hissed at him when she spoke, "Tôi không muốn làm tổn thương bạn, nhưng tôi nếu tôi có."

The computer on Robin's wrist spoke, "I don't want to hurt you but I will if I have to."

Artemis stared at the contraption and then struggled furiously to get them to let her go. Robin looked her in the eye, "I know you recognize me Artemis! Think!" She only continued to struggle. "Fine! I didn't want to do this to you!"

She looked up at him just as he pulled his mask off revealing himself. She said the first name that came to her mind, "GRAYSON?" She could feel her muscles going weak as she put her weight against the two men that restrained her.

Robin could see the immense shock on her face and put his hand out to her, "Do you trust me?" he asked, flashing his brilliantly blue eyes at her with a grin. She cautiously tried to pull her hand from behind her back feeling one of the men slowly let go. She reached up toward Robin's hand but retracted it. She looked at him suspiciously as she started to put her hand behind her back again. "You remember me Artemis. I won't hurt you...none of us will. All we want is to help you but you have to help us so we can do that...Will you talk to me?"

Artemis looked down at her lap and then at the two men behind her. One man still held her arm behind her. He wore a black cowl and was unreadable and if there was any emotion there it must have been suspicion. The other man wore green and had a small smile on his face behind his blonde mustache and beard. She looked Grayson in the eye once again. She nodded meekly and the man in black released her other arm. Robin put the mask back on and stood up. He offered his hand to her again. She resisted once more. "It's alright. Everything will be okay now." She looked him in the eye and smiled before accepting his hand. He slowly pulled her up. "Let's go back," he said leading her back down the hall.

Batman and Green Arrow stood up and started down the hall behind them. Green Arrow put his hand on Batman's shoulder stopping him before he could rejoin the other heroes. "Don't be mad at him. You knew she was going to find out sooner or later."

Batman shrugged his arm off, "but not while holding anyone at knife point."He turned and returned to the others.

Green Arrow turned to see Robin trying to translate what Artemis was saying. He smiled to see how quickly she trusted Robin. They really were best friends inside and outside of the team. He walked over to the other heroes just in time to hear Wonder Woman ask, "Then why doesn't she remember anyone?"

Green Arrow thought it a good time to join in, "traumatic experiences, hallucinogens, sedatives, or any number of toxins cause hallucinations, impaired vision, and/or temporary or permanent memory loss. I don't know yet what is making her suffer but I'm going to find out. I don't care how long it takes." He gave Batman a determined look.

Batman knew that look. It was the same look Alfred referred to as the "worried father" look. Alfred always said, "Master Dick will be alright. Now wipe that 'worried father' look off your face and keep him calm while I fetch some fresh bandages." Batman thought about Dick, Richard Grayson, Robin, his protégé¨, his adopted son and how he felt whenever the small boy was injured. Dick was tough but not invincible and neither was Artemis. Batman knew that. He also knew how much Green Arrow cared about her. He looked at Green Arrow, "That's first priority then. First, we figure out what's going on inside her body, and then, we find out what's going on inside her mind."

Green Arrow nodded, "All I need now is to get a blood sample." All of the league and the team turned and walked in different directions knowing very well what Artemis was capable of. Green Arrow stood alone in the cavernous room and sighed realizing that he was on his own. He turned to look at Artemis. She sat on the floor listening to Robin. They had resorted to him asking yes or no questions for lack of her patience with the computer. He decided to slip into the infirmary and retrieve a sterile needle to draw the blood. He returned totem still communicating. Robin continued talking to her as she listened to him tell her what had happened on the team while she was gone. Green Arrow thought it was the perfect opportunity to take the sample needed.

Green Arrow snuck up behind Artemis and slowly placed the end of the needle into her arm. As Artemis felt the prick of the needle she turned quickly and took the needle from his hand and jabbed it deep into his thigh. She turned back to Robin as if nothing had happened and urged him to continue.

Green Arrow inched back with his hands and the uninjured leg. He stared at her, "I should have seen that coming. Time to think outside of the box."He thought as he pulled the needle from his leg and limped back to the infirmary with quiver in hand.

Several minutes later Green Arrow walked out of the hall with bow and arrow in hand. He turned and waited for the right moment. A loud WHOOSH passed his ear as he let the bowstring loose. An even louder "UGH!" erupted from Artemis's lips as the small dart hit its target in her shoulder. She leaned heavily on her hands behind her as Robin looked on confused. Her eyes quickly grew dilated and rolled back in her head. Her elbows buckled and she fell unconscious to the floor behind her.

Robin looked around in shock. His eyes rested on Green Arrow as he walked up to the unconscious blond. "What was that for? I bet if you had said something she would have just let you draw her blood!"

Green Arrow didn't take his eyes from the needle as he carefully inserted it into her skin. "She doesn't seem to be on very good terms with anyone but you right now. Plus now I can move her without a fight." He removed the needle and placed the syringe into a hidden compartment on his quiver. He slung the quiver back over his shoulder and picked Artemis up in his arms. He began walking down the hall with Robin hot on his heels.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you to all of you who have been continuous readers. Both I (Abigail Isabella) and my partner (Alya Rose) are excited to see how many of you really do like our story. We have never published before and are so happy to get a good response. I just have a few more things to say. I hope you guys will take a moment to go to RoyalVictory's story Of Anti Damsels and Wannabe Heroes. I love it and am following it myself. I also wanna thank all of our reviewers from last chapter: Irenerb, ****artemisred arrow 4ever, and Candi711. We really appreciate reviews and it helps us realize that we should continue. If we stop getting reviews then our story may end. The more reviews we get we will try to upload faster. Mind you that uploading each week is hard for us because we rarely see each other and it takes a few days to gather enough time to write each chapter. We are doing our best though and are already working on plotting out more short stories and a second book for all of you. We will be tossing a few things out in our first book that will be left up to you. We have to have at least 5 participants in our questions or we will close the voting and choose for ourselves. We don't have any for this chapter but I will leave you with questions every once in a while and the first person to answer correctly in reviews will get a special mention in the story. Anyway, you are probably annoyed by this note so I will let you read. Enjoy! And don't forget to review. Even if you don't like it. Let us know what we did wrong and we will try to fix it. Enough! Read!**

* * *

Robin followed Green Arrow to the infirmary, staying no farther than a half step behind him. He placed Artemis on one of the medical beds and prepared an IV. Once Artemis was hooked up to all the necessary machines, Green Arrow took the syringe from his quiver and walked to a back room and closed the door leaving it very clear that he wanted Robin to stay with the confused girl. He sat on the edge of the bed. She looked so peaceful compared to an hour ago when she held a knife to his heart. He watched her shallow, quick breathing and turned to the monitors. Her heart rate was fast. You would think she was having a minor nightmare. Nothing too scary but still unsettling. "You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you under my watch." The sedative was very small and was starting to wear off. She seemed to be settling into a more restful sleep as she shifted slightly and a small grimace touched her features. Robin chuckled knowing she was no longer affected by the weak drug.

Batman walked into the room with Martian Manhunter and Aqualad right behind him. He asked in a voice just above a whisper, "Is she stable?"

Robin looked up at his mentor and adoptive father, "physically yes but emotionally... not even close. She barely trusts me."

Aqualad spoke up, "Then how did you move her in here?"

Robin rubbed the back of his neck feeling ashamed, "Green Arrow shot her with a sedative dart." He looked at Artemis, "It's already wearing off. She's slipping into a more natural sleep." As if on cue, she shifted and sighed in her content sleep.

Batman returned his gaze from the sleeping girl to his protégé, "I suggest we continue this conversation in the hall." Everyone nodded in agreement and walked out of the room."Has Green Arrow diagnosed the problem yet?"

Robin glanced through the window in the door, "Not yet but he is trying to. He is checking the toxicity in her blood now."

"When she wakes up we'll check her memory and see if she can remember anything. Hopefully she will give us the vital information we need to help her. Afterwards we will see how things go." Batman turned to the other three who agreed.

Green Arrow walked through the door with an extremely concerned look on his face. With no words at all, he thrust the papers he was holding into Batman's hands. Batman skimmed them and judging by the way his eyes widened, which doesn't normally happen to Batman, Robin guessed it was very bad. Batman looked up at Green Arrow, "If all of these toxins are being carried in her blood then it's a miracle she's alive."

Green Arrow gave him a worried look, "So do we try to lower the levels or do we let them run their course?"

Batman gave him a solemn look, "That's for you to decide. I have no say in the matter."

Green Arrow stared at Batman for a moment and then looked down at the paper and nodded, "We have to let them run their course. If we don't ... any drug placed in her system may set her off balance and kill her anyway. When her levels are safer we can try to neutralize the remaining toxins."

Batman nodded in agreement, "That's a smart move. For once we're on the same page."

A loud beeping came from behind the door. Artemis's heart monitor was going crazy. All five of them rushed in and to her side. All of them hovered helplessly as she sat up with as start and looked around nervously. Green Arrow touched her shoulder, "Are you alright? What happened?"

Artemis stiffened. Her eyes darted from person to person. Questions continued to be fired at her. After a few short moments she began coughing and choking spitting up blood with every cough.

Immediately Green Arrow and Batman rushed around trying to help her. "Blood must be filling her lungs somehow. We have to calm her down. Robin you try. She trusts you."

Robin nodded. He rushed to get close to her, "It's alright Artemis. Everything will be fine. You need to calm down so we can help you." Artemis froze for a moment staring at the Boy Wonder. She then began thrashing around and screaming in Vietnamese.

Green Arrow watched helplessly. He watched her thrash and scream and he could do nothing to help the poor girl. She wailed and coughed and after several minutes she began tiring herself to the point where Green Arrow could see the problem, "She bit her tongue! The blood isn't filling her lungs. She's keeping it out of her lungs with the coughing but she's wearing herself out. If she loses consciousness on her back like this then her lungs really will fill with blood."

"How do we get her to rollover? Apparently she doesn't even trust me anymore." Robin didn't take his eyes from the girl who quickly began to tire.

"We catch her as she passes out and turn her over. She doesn't have much energy left anyway."

Artemis's thrashing and screaming quickly began to slow and quiet. She began tipping backward and Green Arrow placed a hand behind her back and on her shoulder to keep her forward. He leaned her back on the pillow turning her head. He rolled her onto her side with her head tipped down off the edge of the mattress. The blood continued to drip from her mouth and began pooling on the floor. Green Arrow set to work trying to fix the problem.

* * *

She was being chased by him. He was after her and she couldn't get away. He shot at her missing several times by only a small margin. She kept running but could never get any farther away. The man...men that had trained her. She was running from them...him. The man she cared about most and the man she hated most had become one. They were one-in-the-same and all she could do was hide in fear that it might possibly be real.

Artemis woke up and sat straight up in the bed in the infirmary. Five people hovered over her. A hand touched her shoulder, "Are you alright? What happened?"

Artemis stiffened all her muscles. She bit down hard to keep from speaking. She wasn't about to tell these people what was going on. Her jaw locked and she focused on who was around her...Batman? Psimon? Someone she didn't know, Dick? And...Dad? She stiffened further.

She began coughing and sputtering. She realized blood was running down her throat. She could taste the coppery substance. It was repulsive but she knew she had to ignore it. She was missing what they were saying. Dick came closer to her hurriedly, "It's alright Artemis. Everything will be fine. You need to calm down so we can help you."

Artemis froze after hearing his words. He said we he was with them and so was Batman. She knew she couldn't trust anyone anymore. She began thrashing and screaming, "Kẻ phản bội" (traitor) over and over. Her muscles became weak. She could hear nothing but her own screams. She finally couldn't keep herself up and the darkness overtook her.

* * *

The team took turns watching over Artemis. Wally and Robin took the night shifts while Conner, M'gann, Kaldur, and Green Arrow took the day shifts. They each took a 4 hour shift. Artemis was never left alone and, after her last spasm, was restrained to the medical bed. She fell into a coma after passing out. Four weeks after she fell into the coma Green Arrow decided that it would be best to allow her mother to come see her. Artemis was not recovering and her systems were shutting down because she wasn't waking up. No one believed she was going to survive.

"Are you sure you're ready to see her, Paula?" Green Arrow asked her.

"Oliver, if you're asking if I am ready to see my daughter on her death bed then, no, but if you are asking if I am ready to deal with it then, yes." She looked him in the eye from her wheelchair.

He knew how strong Paula was. After all, she was Artemis's mother. The two of them held a strength he had never seen before. "Alright," he said as he turned to open the door.

Paula rolled in to see her only daughter lying perfectly still on the bed. The only movement was her torso rising and falling with each breath. The only sounds in the room were of the wheelchair wheels rolling on the floor and the humming and beeping of the machines. Paula made her way to her daughter's side. She took her daughter's hand. "Artemis." She held back her tears and sobbing. "I never thought I would see the day where you would be on your death bed before my very eyes. You are strong and I know you can pull through. Just hold on to those small pieces of reality and grab every chance you can to get the upper hand. Just know that whatever happens that you are my daughter and I love you and believe in you." The sobs escaped her lips and nearly drowned out the last few words. She held her daughter's hand, crying into the mattress.

Artemis could hear someone coming in but couldn't convince her eyes to open. She could hear wheels on the floor and someone picked up her hand. "Artemis." She heard her name come from a reverent and pained voice. "I never thought I would see the day where you would be on your death bed before my very eyes." It was her mother she knew that now. "You are strong and I know you can pull through. Just hold on to those small pieces of reality and grab every chance you can to get the upper hand. Just know that whatever happens that you are my daughter and I love you and believe in you." Artemis forced herself to squeeze her mother's hand.

Paula looked up in surprise. She met her daughter's eyes. They reached for each other and embraced. Tears fill their eyes. Then Oliver put his hand on Paula's shoulder. Artemis froze to see him. Her pulse exploded and the machines began beeping loudly. She couldn't concentrate. Her emotions took over. She began flailing and screaming, "Mẹ!" (Mom!) over and over. Her restraints kept her where she was while Oliver quickly removed Paula from the room. Artemis continued her rant until she could no long remain awake and fell into an exhausted sleep.

* * *

Two weeks after Artemis last freaked out and the toxins had all left her system, the team and the league were discussing why she was still hallucinating.

The computer announces, "Recognize, Red Arrow..." but none of them notice. They are too wrapped up in their conversation.

"She isn't but she thinks she is," Robin explains.

Green Arrow looks deep in thought, "Then how do we convince her she isn't?"

Red Arrow's curiosity finally gets the better of him, "What's going on?"

Green Arrow doesn't look at him but responds. "She thinks she's hallucinating," as though it answered the question.

Red is even more confused by this, "Who?"

Green Arrow shakes his head, "Who do you- wait," he notices Red, "When did you get here?"

Red looked behind him, "How long does it take to walk from the Zeta-beam to here?"

Green Arrow thought for a moment, "In other words...just now...back to the problem at hand. How do we convince her she isn't?"

Red began getting annoyed, "Am I going to have to figure out what's going on by myself?"

"Wait!" Batman interrupted, "Who's with her?"

Everyone looks around taking a mental head count and all take off down the hall toward the infirmary in complete panic.

* * *

**AN: Alright, if you took the time to read all the way down to here then you probably either have no life or you really are enjoying our story. Let us know what you think. I have some friends that want me to be a their beta so I will soon be adding a few short stories. One-shots or maybe at most 3 chapters. Those will definitely have a lot of romance and drama for all of our readers that will be mad at us once our story continues. We have done much of the confusing relationship things for a reason. It will all be explained in time. Be patient with us and ask us anything. I will be the one majorly handling online things but if you directly want info from Alya then say so and I will direct her to you. But seriously! REVIEW! WE NEED SUPPORT!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long to get this one up. We missed our goal of 2 Saturday's ago and had camp last week. We will only update on Saturdays unless we don't make a 2 week date. Or if we get so far ahead (unlikely) that we need to upload more so we don't lose them. Just have a few things to bring up. Question and Answer time! Keepmovingforward2: I will answer your last question. We used her background with her family and school stuff. She doesn't have the electric power and for EVERYONE...no it is not a Longshot (Royart) story. You will have to see where the rest of the relationship stuff goes. I hope you all enjoy it!**

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Everyone ran into the small room panicking."She's gone!" Wally exclaimed with wide eyes.

Red looked at him, confusion apparent on his face, "Who?"

"Artemis!" Wally said without thinking.

Confusion and surprise fought to win dominance over Red's expression, "Wait! She's here?"

Wally looked around frantically like everyone else in the room, "Yeah, she's been here for the last 6 weeks,"

Red lived up to his name as he grew more and more angry at the speedster. "And you didn't-"

"Not important now!" Green Arrow cut him off. "We have to find her!"

They heard Robin's laugh echo as if from a cave. They looked up just as his feet disappeared into the broken vent."He's got the right idea. Split up!"

Red knew exactly where Artemis would go and charged down the hall at a speed Wally would be impressed with. He listens with his ear to the door and hears nothing. He cracks the door open and sees nothing. He pushes it open and leans on the frame thinking. Artemis is always here. She couldn't be anywhere else.

A girl with jet black hair dropped from the vent in ragged clothes and ran straight towards him. When she looked up and noticed him she froze. The lapse was only momentary before she charged in offense.

Confused and slightly dazed, Red took a defensive stance and held his ground. He and the girl were fairly evenly matched. Though she was strong he knew he was stronger. He dodged a blow to his head as she sprang agilely over his head. He knew that move all too well and with no weapon she couldn't stop him. He threw his arm up just in time to hit her ankles throwing her off course. She landed to the left of the door. She scrambled frantically for her footing. He stepped in front of her blocking the only easily accessed door. She glared with locks of black hair hanging in her face increasing the intensity of her gaze. She lunged again hoping to catch him off guard but to no avail. He countered her frantic, reckless, and predictable moves with ease. She began getting frustrated and in turn losing her focus.

After several minutes Robin decided enough is enough. "This battle of will and stamina will go on for hours if no one stops it," he muttered to himself finally tiring of the weak battle. He reached to his ear piece, radioed to everyone else and dropped down from his vantage point in the vent.

She turned to analyze the new threat and recognizing the traitor. She froze not knowing who was more of a threat.

With his opponent temporarily distracted Red took his chance. He grabbed her right wrist while pulling her left leg out from under her. Before she realized what was happening her eyes saw the floor and then the ceiling. Her body came to an abrupt halt as it hit the floor. Her opponent had pinned her and she kicked herself mentally for being distracted. She looked around searching for a way to get away. Her eyes met two pairs of eyes above her. "Kẻ phản bội" (traitor) she growled and spat repeatedly at the one standing and hovering.

The one pinning her to the floor looked back and forth between her and the raven haired boy she was insulting."Who is this?" Robin laughed believing he was joking. "This isn't funny!"

"Your sister," replied a voice from the door.

Red look at the girl he had pinned."This is not Ria," he muttered to himself. He looked to see Green Arrow in the doorway. "Oh…Wait!…Artemis?" His emotions got the better of him and he jumped back in surprise releasing his hostage.

She sprang from the floor with her sights set on Robin. The traitor. She attacked head-on while he stayed defensive. The other two men stood staring in surprise. She continued to back the raven-haired boy into the wall. He didn't want to hurt her so he continued blocking moves and only throwing other moves in to startle her and make her take a momentary step back.

Batman ran into the room with Kid Flash right behind him. Slowly more and more people filed in. Robin began taking the offensive and backing her across the room. When she was in the center Robin grabbed her right arm and shouted, "Now!" Kid Flash ran to his friend's aid and grabbed her left arm. They worked in sync as they pushed her into an unstable stance and took her feet out from under her. She hit the floor and was about to flip her legs over her head when Batman held her feet to the floor.

She eyed Red halfway across the room. She began shouting at him in Vietnamese. Red bowed his head. Green Arrow turned to walk over to him, "Please tell me you didn't understand that."

Red didn't look up, "I did."

Green Arrow placed his hand on Red's shoulder, "I feel sorry for you."

"Don't," Red said, "I deserved that one." He turned back to Artemis.

She continued to scream at everyone in Vietnamese. They turned to Green Arrow for a translation. He shook his head, "You don't want to know."

Everyone sat quietly waiting for her to calm down. Red looked on almost in an analyzing way, "I can't believe I didn't recognize my own sister."

Artemis heard the last word and froze. Thoughts began running through her head ...sister?... Puzzled, she looks at Red... "Red?" Everyone looked at her. Red smiled. "Red!"

His smile grew, "Yes!"

Everyone got slightly distracted in the excitement that she was gaining her memory back. Kid Flash released her hand without noticing. She carefully reached up and flicked his ear."OW!" was the response she got. She studied him for a moment. He glared at her as she looked around in awe.

She made eye contact with Red, "Bạn nhìn thấy ai?" she asked.

He looked at her slightly confused, "I don't know what you're saying."

She repeated herself slower. Red spoke again, "English Arty!"

She looked at him in surprise. She hadn't realized she was speaking Vietnamese. Come to think about it her thoughts were in Vietnamese too. She thought carefully over what she was about to say. She spoke slowly as she stumbled over her words, "Who...Who...do you...you see?"

He smiles, "I see you and Robin. I see Kid Flash and Batman and Green Arrow..." He looked around as he named off everyone in the room. He turned back to her. "Who do you see?"

She looks around, "...I see you, Robin, Batman, Wally..." She continued until she had named everyone but M'gann and Green Arrow. Robin and Batman release her but stay close.

M'gann stayed back but spoke to Artemis, "How am I supposed to convince you that I am who I say I am?"

Artemis shrugged only looking at her out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want to make eye contact with someone she wasn't sure of.

Conner walked over to M'gann and placed his hand on her shoulder, "I've got an idea." M'gann looked at him curiously. He pulled her in front where Artemis could clearly see them both. He tipped her chin up and leaned down until their lips met.

Artemis looked on realizing that this really was one of her best friends. She stood up and leaned on Red who wouldn't stay more than six inches from her. "Okay, I think that's enough excitement for one day. I'll give you the choice. Either sleep or food. That's all I'm going to let you do today." As if to answer the question Artemis yawned. He chuckled, "I'll accept that answer."

Red tried to pick her up but Artemis protested. "I can walk!" she said sleepily. She leaned on him the whole was to her room. She managed to make it to her bed but quickly fell asleep. He pulled the blanket over her and kissed her forehead, "Sleep well. You're safe now."

Red walked out of her room and the door closed behind him. He walked into the main room to find Green Arrow talking with several other heroes. "Are you going to explain what happened?"

Green Arrow said goodbye to the other heroes and walked toward the hall with Red on his heels. He stopped after they were alone. "I can only tell you as much as we know. Six weeks ago the zeta-beam was hacked. Then Artemis showed up but no one recognized her. I used a digital editing program to change a picture of Artemis so her hair was black. It matched perfectly. I hit her with a dart to knock her out and checked her blood toxicity level and found..." he pulled the folded sheet of paper out of his quiver pocket, "...this."

Red took the paper and stared in shock. "There were 31 toxins in her blood. We didn't dare give her anything to help reduce them for fear of raising the level any higher and killing her."

Red didn't look up from the paper, "And she's still alive?"

"Somehow. The last six weeks have been horrible for her. The last of the toxins didn't leave her bloodstream until two days ago." He slapped Red on the shoulder, "I'd better go tell Paula that Artemis is remembering again." With that he walked back into the main room and toward the zeta-beam.

When Oliver walked through the door he was greeted by a voice from a back room, "Oliver? Is that you?"

He chuckled, "Who else would it be?"

"I don't know. Pizza delivery guy?"

"And he would just walk in?"

"Good point but it doesn't hurt to be cautious. Especially for someone who can't use their legs." She rolled her wheelchair into the entryway/living room. Oliver leaned down to hug her. "Enough about that. How is Artemis?"

"She's doing a lot better. She's starting to remember everyone."

"Can I see her?"

"Not yet. She isn't ready to leave the cave yet. She needs to stay there for a couple days. Let her come around on her own. She won't stay away from her mother for long."

Paula looked down at her lap, "I guess you're right. I just don't want to lose her again. I wouldn't be able to live if I lost her when she was so close again." Tears began streaming down her face as she tried to hold back soft sobs.

Oliver held her, "I know. I know." He held her for a while and then took her to bed.

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**Okay! What do you think? Seriously! Good, bad, or totally random! We love any and all comments. I will give a shout out to Hay Of The Meadow because she will probably say that she got to read it first. It is true she did. She got to read MOST of it first. She missed the second half but first half she did. She went to camp with us. We didn't have much time to work on it then but she did see it. Love you Hay!**

**Here is your first contest! If you can make a correct prediction from this chapter and you will win a special mention. It will be a one time mention in the future part of the story but it is quickly coming up. I have to start tossing them in. I can give no hints but make predictions about ANYTHING!**

**Thanks to all of our reviewers! Thanks to: noaverageangel, Irenerb, Keepmovingforward2 (x3), and candi711 We really appreciate your reviews! Please help us spread the word! We do want to continue but the less reviews we get the more likely we will stop. The more reviews we get the more we will try to update. This chapter was just a fluke and we are already working on chapter 5. So...REVIEW AND SPREAD THE WORD!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Artemis woke up and stretched. Her limbs felt weak. She was tired still. She kept her eyes closed tightly. She didn't want to wake up to the cold, iodine smelling infirmary. She didn't want to be strapped down again. Then she realized that she was on a soft bed. It wasn't like in the infirmary. She was also covered by a soft plush blanket. She opened her eyes expecting the bright lights of the infirmary. It was dark, pitch black even. She couldn't see the blanket less than six inches from her face. If this was the infirmary then there must be a power failure because those lights never turn off. She felt a lump under the pillow. She reached under and pulled out a triangular object and a leather-bound book. The book had letters branded into the front and the triangle had shapes carved into its smooth stone surface.

Artemis let her fingers trace each letter carefully analyzing each one. The first letter consisted of a triangle with two sides that reached down...A. The second was harder to decipher. It seemed like a small line with an arc near the top but she wasn't sure... it could be a number of things. She moved on to the third letter. She could feel a long, straight line reaching from the top of the letter to the bottom with one line crossing it less than half way down...t. The fourth letter she believed was an o but it had a line horizontally through the middle. She gave up and moved to the next letter. She followed the arcs in her head. There were two of them...m. She began feeling confused as to what the word was. The sixth letter was simple, a straight line smaller than the previous reached from the bottom to part way up. A small dot hung above the line...i. The final letter was unmistakable. There are no other curves like it...s. Artemis brushed her hand from top to bottom of the book. There was another line. She felt carefully. The first letter felt like a large partial circle with no other lines...C. The second letter was the same as one of the ones on the first line that she couldn't decipher. She moved on again. The third letter was definitely a full circle alone...o. The fourth was a smaller version of the first from its row...c. She came to the last letter and found it to be some jumble of maybe three or four lines. She decided she had enough to go on. She pieced them together in her head. "Let's see...A...something...t...something...m...i...s...C...something...o...c...something...what is it? It's familiar! Think Artemis!...Artemis! That's it! Artemis Crock! A...r...t...e...m...i...s...C...r...o...c...k...Artemis Crock! It's my journal!...Which means..." Artemis reached her hand up to the exact point in the darkness where her bedside lamp should be. She felt the plastic and metal under her fingers as she flipped the switch.

Artemis blinked as the temporary blindness wore off and her eyes adjusted. She was in her room at the cave. It was always a safe haven for her. She looked around fully awake and alert. She noticed the clock on her bedside table. 1:27pm "No, that can't be right. It must be wrong." As if to prove her wrong, her stomach growled loudly. She looked at her clothes and noticed that they were the same ratty, dirty ones she wore yesterday during her attempted escape. "Shower first, then food, then find Red." She nodded to herself, confirming her own plan.

Artemis swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. Her knees buckled underneath her. She caught herself on the edge of the bed. She inched up slowly so she didn't fall again. Carefully she walked to the nearby dresser for some fresh clothes. She carried her clothes, shampoo, and soap with her to the locker room. The girl's locker room was empty at this time of day so Artemis walked into the darkness and set her clothes on a bench. She walked back over to the door and flipped the switch beside it. The wall beside the door was lined with mirrors and counters. Artemis glanced up at the mirror out of curiosity and froze. In the mirror's reflection stood Athena. No other person was there. Athena's black hair made her look even whiter as her face grew paler and paler.

A blood curdling scream ripped through Artemis's ears as she collapsed to the floor. It wasn't until four people came running to her aid that she realized the scream was hers. Wally zipped in and was by her side before she realized it. M'gann, Robin, and Red not far behind. Artemis curled up tighter, willing them to leave her alone. M'gann helped Artemis sit up and then asked, "What happened?"

Artemis's eyes filled with tears. She didn't try to hold them back. They flowed freely down her cheeks and onto her ratty grey t-shirt. Robin sat next to her on the floor. He put his hand on her shoulder, "Artemis?"

Artemis squeezed her eyes tightly shut. The thought hurt her so much. "Athena" she whispered so low that they could barely hear. Robin wrapped her in a hug. She leaned into his chest and sobbed. Neither of them cared that her tears were soaking through his black t-shirt.

They all remained exactly where they were until she stopped crying. Artemis sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. Robin turned to M'gann and Wally, "Wally, go get a couple sheets. We need to cover these mirrors. M'gann, go cover the mirror in her room. We don't want her scaring herself again." They nodded and left. He turned back to Artemis, "It's just your reflection, not a ghost. Your hair is black." He pulled her hair out of the pony-tail and pulled some over her shoulder, "See?" Artemis looked at it shocked and confused and pulled more around to make sure it wasn't a trick. Sure enough, her hair was black.

Wally zipped in and began covering the mirrors. He glanced down and noticed Artemis staring. He gave her a warm smile. She gave a half-hearted smile in return. He finished what he was doing as M'gann walked into the room. They all crowded around her again. "Are you alright?" Red asked pulling her into a hug of his own. She just sat there.

Artemis let Red hold her for a minute. She finally decided that she didn't want her friends to think of her as weak just after she came back. She pulled out of Red's hug and stood up, "Tôi sẽ tắm vòi sen." (I'm going to take a shower.) She walked over to the bench and picked up her belongings. She immediately made her way to the shower room in the back. M'gann ushered everyone out silently.

Artemis climbed out of the shower and after she was dressed and her hair was fairly dry she made her way to the kitchen. She could smell the chicken in the oven. She couldn't believe that she had missed that scent so much. It was mouthwatering. Sure she had eaten in the infirmary, but would you really concentrate on eating when you were tied up and guarded by the people you used to trust? She walked into the open space that was divided by counters and a partial wall. Red was just pulling the tray out of the oven with a towel wadded up in his hand to keep him from burning himself. He set the pan down and tossed the towel over his shoulder and dug through cupboards and drawers for plates, silverware, and glasses. She noticed him whistling a cheerful tune and walked up behind him.

He turned, noticed her, and smiled, "Hey sis." He kissed the top of her head and tipped her chin up so he could look her in the eye, "Are you alright?"

She looked down and back at him stuttering over her English words, "Yes...I j...just...need...need time."

"Alright. I can do that." He kissed the top of her head again, "Time to eat."

"I...am...n...not...hun...hungry..." and as if trying her patience, her stomach growled furiously.

Red chuckled, "I think your lie detector just went off." Artemis glared at her stomach and laughed, a smile gracing her face for the first time that day. She looked back up at Red. He wrapped his arms around her, "I'm glad you're alright."

When he released her, Artemis walked over to the stove to see the impressive spread of chicken cordon blue, a tossed salad, corn on the cob, and pistachio salad. She could feel her mouthwatering as she closed her eyes and inhaled the different aromas. She turned to Red and he handed her a plate. She put a small helping of each on her plate and set it on the counter while she searched the refrigerator for some milk. She heard a familiar wind-like sound and smirked to herself while she searched. "Hey Goddess. Are you alright?" He was leaning on the refrigerator door when she stood up.

Artemis stepped around him carefully leaving plenty of room between them. "I'm...fine," she said without making eye contact. She poured her glass, recapped the bottle, and skirted around him again. When the door closed he stepped in the way so she couldn't walk around him. She turned and walked out of the kitchen around the window-like opening in the dividing wall and back to her meal on the other side.

He walked up behind her placing his hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure?"

She turned to look Wally in the eye. "No...but...but I...have...to be."

Wally smiled, "You are stronger than you think," and he wrapped her in a tight hug, "but if you don't feel it, don't act it." He held her shoulders at arm's length until she nodded. "We're watching a movie. You two come watch with us. I mean if you're ready."

A small smile crossed Artemis's face. "I'm...I'm ready." Wally smiled and grabbed her plate and glass for her. Red followed them to the couch and they made her sit between them.

The movie started as they sat down. Narnia Prince Caspian played to nearly the end before ther was an interruption. Green Arrow walked up to Red's side of the couch and began whispering to Artemis, "How you feeling Kiddo?"

Artemis replied, trying to seem distracted by the one-on-one fight scene that was beginning, "Fine." Her muscles tensing more the longer he remained there.

"Alright. Your...your mother wants to see you," he said kneeling down.

Artemis just nodded in response and scooted closer to Red, her eyes never leaving the screen.

Green Arrow looked at her curiously, "Don't you want to see her?"

Artemis slid even closer to Red to the point that her head was nearly behind his shoulder. Red spoke up for her, "I don't think she's ready to go anywhere yet, maybe after a couple of days."

"Alright, I'll check with her again tomorrow when you aren't showing her movies that scare her," Green Arrow said patting Red on the shoulder once before leaving.

Red glared at Green Arrow as he walked down the hall knowing that it wasn't the movie that was scaring her. She had seen the movie nearly a hundred times and she could quote almost every line from it. She was scared of their mentor. She was scared of Green Arrow.

This became routine for her. Green Arrow would come see if she was ready to see her mom and she would tense every muscle in her body. He came daily during that week. By the end of it she caved, "Alright, but Red has to come with."

"That's fine. I'm sure your mother won't mind. As long as you're there, that's all that matters."

"Fine. Just...give me a few minutes." She turned and dragged Red down the hall towards her room. It closed right behind him and just in time. Artemis paced quickly around the room. "What am I going to do? I can't do this! How can I-? What will-? What-? How-?" She collapsed beside the bed, leaning on it, sobbing into the green blanket.

Red knelt down beside her and pulled her into a comforting hug. She continued to cry into his chest. "I know you're scared, scared of Oliver."

She looked up at him with tears still streaming down her face, "How did-?"

"I could feel how tense you were when he came in during Narnia the other day. You might as well have been using me as a shield from him." She put her head back down as the tears slowly stopped. "Don't worry. I'll be with you the whole time."

Artemis quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up. "Alright." She turned toward the door.

Red jumped up and cut her off, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To see my mom. Didn't we already discuss this?" She tried to move around him.

He stepped in front of her again, "You might want to have a look in the mirror before you do anything."

She walked across the room to the dusty vanity in the corner. She looked in the mirror to see her entire face bright red and her eyes puffy from crying. "I should probably wait a few minutes."

"I think that would be the best option," Red said as he wrapped her back up in a comforting hug.

Several minutes later she came walking out with Red to meet Oliver. They stepped into the zeta-tube together.

Seconds later they climbed out of the phone booth. The moment they stepped out Red's cell phone began ringing. Without thinking he picked it up. "Hello?" A yelling woman's voice came from the other end. Neither Artemis nor Oliver could understand what she said but Red was obviously in trouble with her. "YOU'RE AT MY-?!" Red took a deep breath and locked his jaw, "I'll be right there." He hung up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Is everything alright?" Oliver asked.

"Fine but I have to get back to my apartment. I have a short..." Both Artemis and Oliver could see him searching for an appropriate word that wasn't a curse word. He took a deep breath to calm down. "Let's just say I have a short meeting and will be back as soon as it's over. I promise." He turned and ran down the street.

Oliver turned the corner and began walking up the stairs to his apartment. "Why don't I meet you at my house?" Artemis asks, stumbling over her words.

Oliver hesitantly turned around. She stood at the bottom and he stood at the top of the first of the eight flights of stairs. "Because she's here."

"Why?" Artemis questioned further.

"I promised I would take care of her if anything ever happened to you, didn't I?" he asked, turning and continuing up the stairs.

Artemis followed staying a flight behind, "I guess." At the top of the eighth flight, the fourth floor was the door to Oliver's apartment. He was pulling his key out of the door when she reached the top. He opened the door and gestured for her to go first. She hesitated again.

"Oliver, is that you?" called a familiar voice from inside. A wheelchair rolled into view. When the woman looked up, the book in her hand fell to the floor. "Artemis?"

Artemis quickly and cautiously stepped around Oliver and rushed over to her mother wrapping her in an enormous hug, "Mom!"

After several minutes of laughing, hugging, and very little conversation, Paula held her daughter at arm's length. "Artemis, there's something we need to talk about."

"Of course Mom, whatever you want just name it and it's done."

"No sweetheart. I mean there's something I have to tell you...we have to tell you. Sit down."

Artemis sat on the couch and her mother rolled around the opposite side. "Did something happen? Are you alright?" Artemis started to tense-up.

"No dear. I'm fine. It's just...you know how Oliver promised to take care of me? Well, he has, more than you know."

"I understand that Mom. He's a good man. I mean he took in a girl who thought she was beyond help and turned her to the other side."

"...Artemis, it's more than that."

"Can you just tell me so I can stop guessing?"

Paula looked at Oliver who was standing behind Artemis. "Do you want me to tell her?" he asked. Paula shook her head.

"Someone just tell me!"

Paula looked her daughter in the eye. "Oliver and I are married."

Artemis was shocked. The only thing that she could say was, "Oh!"

They sat in silence for a minute. Artemis's mind raced. No thought could even touch the surface of her mind. Oliver reaches out to touch her shoulder but she pushed him away. She quickly stood up without looking at either of them. She jumped over the back of the couch and bolted out the door.

Oliver tried to follow but when he reached the door there was no sign of her. He closed the door and turned to his wife, "I'll give her an hour and then go looking for her." He gave his wife a hug and kissed her.

"Artemis just needs to cool off," she told him. "She'll come around."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Abby: Thank you to all of our readers who have been patient enough to read and follow our story. We don't get together much and crazy schedules make it hard to get things done.**

_**Alya: It doesn't help that I have been sick since Nov.**_

**Plus, with school work it's hard to keep up when other things have to take priority to writing chapters.**

_**College and senior year in high school suck!**_

**At least you have some college classes under your belt...over achiever!**

_**Over Achiever! I'm failing all my classes!**_

**But how many have you already completed?**

_**Are you refering to the CLEPs that I'm going to take because I did college level work in high school?**_

**Me no speak your big smart voca- voca-...words!**

_**That is why I am the editer (even if I can't spell without spellcheck)**_

**Okay, whatever, but I think we've wasted enough of our readers' precious time. Thank you to everyone who reviewed our story! We really appreciate it. The more reviews we get the more encouraged we are to write. I usually write before bed when I feel like you acctually want to read this crap. So review if you like it! Or if you don't so I can rub it in your face! I don't care!**

_**Back on topic, 'mentor' in this chapter refers to a father figure.**_

**One thing we didn't have a chance to do in our last chapter was to congratulate the winner of our prediction contest. Congrats candi711! You will be mentioned in a later portion of the story! We will give you a heads up at the beginning of that chapter! There will be more contests to come so don't give up the rest of you!**

_**Two last things it will probley be a while before update again because we are getting ready to move away from home for school. Also look at the other story I have uploaded 'Tingia'.**_

**I think that's it! Enjoy this chapter of 'Who Am I?' and keep watching for other stories and chapters!**

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Maria snapped her fingers in Red's face, "Earth to Roy! Come in Roy!"

He swatted her hand away. "What do you want Ria?"

She gave him a sympathetic smirk, "I know you aren't all here. Spill."

He folded his arms and leaned against the counter, "It's nothing."

Ria put the spoon she was stirring the pot of sauce with on the counter. She placed her hands on her hips with a look that screamed, _'I know you better than that!'_

Roy threw his hands up in surrender, "Nothing!"

She gave him a skeptical glare then turned back to the sauce, "Then perk up! Or else!"

Red knew that he was defeated and gave a frustrated sigh. "It's Artemis. She's going to Oliver's and she really isnt comfortable around him."

Ria continued cooking, "Why not? He is your mentor. Both of you, I mean."

"Ever since she woke up from her coma she's been acting weird around him. It's like she sees her father when she looks at him."

"Maybe she's just scared to think of him as a father."

"I guess, bad thing is that now she really will have to think of him as a father."

"Why?"

"Because Oliver and her mom, Paula, are married now."

"Ouch! Does she know yet?"

"Oliver has her at his apartment now. She's visiting her mom. They're going to have to tell her."

"How do you think she'll take it?"

"She might not like it but she would never tell them that. I won't hear the end of it when she gets back."

"Sounds like you need some energy to get you through that. Just a couple more minutes and the sauce will be hot. Then we'll have spaghetti."

Red walked over and put his finger in the pot of sauce. Ria picked up a noodle from the other pot and threw it at him. Before they knew it noodles were flying everywhere. Luckily the sause stayed in the pot but the noodles were everywhere- in their hair, on the floor, and stuck to the walls and ceiling. Ria tackled Red to the floor. They could only lay there and laugh. In the midst of the chaos, neither of them had noticed Artemis run in, now standing in the kitchen doorway. Red looked up at her and opened his mouth to speak.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything!" Artemis squeaked and ran toward the front door of Red's small apartment.

"Artemis!" Red jumped up and followed after her. He pushes the door closed as she tried to open it.

"Who is she?!" Artemis yelled. "What? Do you not trust me anymore?" Her eyes began to well up. Ria appeared behind Red. "Am I too psychotic for you to tell me anything?" By now Artemis was balling as she yelled. "I thought you would tell me if you had a girlfriend! I thought we told each other everything!"

Red and Ria bust into uncontrollable laughter. Artemis angrily turned and walked out the door. Red quickly shook it off and caught up on the porch. "She isn't my girlfriend!"

Ria walked out behind him, "I'm his sister."He's been avoiding me for months." She pulled her arm up and punched him square on the shoulder. He reached up and rubbed the sore point. She extended her hand to Artemis, "Maria James." Artemis accepts skeptically. "I have heard quite a bit about you Artemis Crock. Roy here speaks very highly of you."

"If you are siblings then which one of you is adopted? You have different names after all."

Before Red could say anything Maria jumped in, "We have different parents, sort of. Mom and my dad were engaged when he died. The week after he died she found out that I was on the way. She married Roy's dad five years after I was born and three years later Roy entered the world. We both look like our mom though, piercing blue eyes and fiery red hair." Artemis looked at her, very confused. Ria's hair was brown with red highlights but she was right about their eyes. Both of them had brilliantly blue eyes that would strike a hole through anyone with a soul. "I dye my hair so I don't look like 'fire and ice' here," she said, nudging Red with her shoulder.

They talked for a few minutes before the sun was covered by some dark clouds that looked like they could burst at any moment. All three of them agreed that rain wouldn't be a fun thing to talk through and went inside to clean up the mess. They sat down to watch Pirates of the Caribbean as a bonding thing. After the two hours was up, Red spoke up, "We should probably take you back to the 'office'. Oliver is probably worrying his head off."

Artemis stared at the screen as the realization of why she was there hit her full force. Tears overflowed from her eyes silently. She kept her eyes fixed.

Red looked over when she didn't respond. He put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, it's alright." Artemis wouldn't look up. Red wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. She burried her face in his chest and cried silently for forty-five minutes before she finally calmed down.

Artemis laid her head on Red's chest as he continued to hold her, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Red chuckled slightly, "Well, it may sound cliche, but it wasn't my secret to tell. It was between you and them." She just nodded silently into his chest.

Artemis kept her head on Red's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat and breathing until she drifted off to sleep.

Artemis's eyelids fluttered a few times before they would fully open. She noticed the sound of a heartbeat and breathing beneath her head. She looked up to see that she was still in Red's lap. Maria's head was on Red's shoulder and they were both still fast asleep. Artemis didn't want to move for fear of waking them. She looked down at her watch _...10:30am?! Crap! Batman would _kill_ me if he knew where I was! So would Oliver! _Thinking about him reopened the wound slightly. A few tears fell on Artemis's shirt before she realized it. She very slowly and carefully climbed off Red's lap and made her way to the hallway. She took one last look back at them.

Maria looked up and smiled at Artemis. She nodded slightly as if to say _'I understand and I'll tell him.'_

Artemis smiled back warmly and quietly slipped down the hall and out of the apartment.

* * *

**AN: I just thought it would be funny to mention that as we were editting this chapter before posting, the song "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter came on and fit perfectly!**


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